The Hebrews had several kinds of animals which they refused to
eat. Among domestic animals they only ate the cow, the sheep, and the
goat; the hen and pigeon, among domestic birds; beside several kinds of
wild animals. To eat the flesh with the blood was forbidden them, much
more to eat the blood without the flesh. We may form a judgment of their
taste by what the Scripture mentions of Solomon’s table, 1 Kings iv, 22,
23. Thirty measures of the finest wheat flour were provided for it every
day, and twice as much of the ordinary sort; twenty stall-fed oxen,
twenty pasture oxen, a hundred sheep, beside the venison of deer and
roebucks, and wild fowls. It does not appear that the ancient Hebrews
were very nice about the seasoning and dressing of their food. We find
among them roast meat, boiled meat, and ragouts. They roasted the
paschal lamb.
At the first settling of the Christian church, very great disputes arose
concerning the use of meats offered to idols. Some newly converted
Christians, convinced that an idol was nothing, and that the distinction
of clean and unclean creatures was abolished by our Saviour, ate
indifferently of whatever was served up to them, even among Pagans,
without inquiring whether these meats had been first offered to idols.
They took the same liberty in buying meat sold in the markets, not
regarding whether it was pure or impure according to the Jews, or
whether it was that which had been offered to idols. But other
Christians, weaker or less instructed, were offended at this liberty;
and thought to eat of meat that had been once offered to idols, was a
kind of partaking of that wicked and sacrilegious offering. This
diversity in opinion produced some scandal, to which St. Paul thought it
behoved him to provide a suitable remedy, Rom. xiv, 20; Titus i, 15. He
determined, therefore, that all things were clean to such as were clean,
and that an idol was nothing at all; that a man might safely eat of
whatever was sold in the shambles, and though it might be a part of what
had been previously offered in the temple, and there exposed to sale, he
need not scrupulously inquire whence it came; that if an unbeliever
should invite a believer to eat with him, the believer might eat of
whatever was set before him, &c, 1 Cor. x, 25–27. But at the same time
he enjoins, that the law of charity and prudence should be observed;
that men should be cautious of scandalizing or offending weak minds;
that though all things may be lawful, yet all things are not always
expedient; that no one ought to seek his own accommodation or
satisfaction, but that of his neighbour; that if any one should say to
us, This has been offered to idols,” we may not then eat of it, for the
sake of him who gives the information; not so much for fear of wounding
our own conscience, but his; in a word, that he who is weak, and thinks
he may not indifferently use all sorts of food, should forbear, and eat
herbs, rather than offend a brother, Rom. xiv, 1, 2. Yet it is certain,
that generally Christians abstained from eating meat that had been
offered to idols.
eat. Among domestic animals they only ate the cow, the sheep, and the
goat; the hen and pigeon, among domestic birds; beside several kinds of
wild animals. To eat the flesh with the blood was forbidden them, much
more to eat the blood without the flesh. We may form a judgment of their
taste by what the Scripture mentions of Solomon’s table, 1 Kings iv, 22,
23. Thirty measures of the finest wheat flour were provided for it every
day, and twice as much of the ordinary sort; twenty stall-fed oxen,
twenty pasture oxen, a hundred sheep, beside the venison of deer and
roebucks, and wild fowls. It does not appear that the ancient Hebrews
were very nice about the seasoning and dressing of their food. We find
among them roast meat, boiled meat, and ragouts. They roasted the
paschal lamb.
At the first settling of the Christian church, very great disputes arose
concerning the use of meats offered to idols. Some newly converted
Christians, convinced that an idol was nothing, and that the distinction
of clean and unclean creatures was abolished by our Saviour, ate
indifferently of whatever was served up to them, even among Pagans,
without inquiring whether these meats had been first offered to idols.
They took the same liberty in buying meat sold in the markets, not
regarding whether it was pure or impure according to the Jews, or
whether it was that which had been offered to idols. But other
Christians, weaker or less instructed, were offended at this liberty;
and thought to eat of meat that had been once offered to idols, was a
kind of partaking of that wicked and sacrilegious offering. This
diversity in opinion produced some scandal, to which St. Paul thought it
behoved him to provide a suitable remedy, Rom. xiv, 20; Titus i, 15. He
determined, therefore, that all things were clean to such as were clean,
and that an idol was nothing at all; that a man might safely eat of
whatever was sold in the shambles, and though it might be a part of what
had been previously offered in the temple, and there exposed to sale, he
need not scrupulously inquire whence it came; that if an unbeliever
should invite a believer to eat with him, the believer might eat of
whatever was set before him, &c, 1 Cor. x, 25–27. But at the same time
he enjoins, that the law of charity and prudence should be observed;
that men should be cautious of scandalizing or offending weak minds;
that though all things may be lawful, yet all things are not always
expedient; that no one ought to seek his own accommodation or
satisfaction, but that of his neighbour; that if any one should say to
us, This has been offered to idols,” we may not then eat of it, for the
sake of him who gives the information; not so much for fear of wounding
our own conscience, but his; in a word, that he who is weak, and thinks
he may not indifferently use all sorts of food, should forbear, and eat
herbs, rather than offend a brother, Rom. xiv, 1, 2. Yet it is certain,
that generally Christians abstained from eating meat that had been
offered to idols.